Mine car scotch



July 4, 1939. H MEAD 2,164,999

y umn CAR scoTci Filed Dec. 23, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gj, j

July 4, 1939. C. ||D MEAD 2,164,999

MINE CAR SGOTCH Filed Dec. 2s, 195e 2 sheets-sheet 2 nvenior lfe fomeys Patented July 4, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in scotches for railway cars, particularly mine cars, and has for one of its important objects to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character which is adapted to be expeditiously mounted in position for use on a rail and which includes a novel construction and arrangement whereby said device will be caused to firmly grip the rail by the engagement of the flange of one of the car wheels therewith.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a scotch of the aforementioned character which is adapted to be placed beneath either the front or rear wheels of a car for preventing said car from rolling in either direction.

A still further important object of the invention is to provide a scotch of the character described comprising a co-nstruction which is such that the device may be formed from a single piece of material.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a scotch of the character set forth which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly efficient and reliable in use, compact and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a mine car, showing a scotch constructed in accordance with the present invention engaged beneath a rear wheel thereof.

Figure 2 is a View substantially similar to Fig. 1 but showing the scotch engaged beneath one of the front wheels of the car.

Figure 3 is a top plan view ofthe invention, showing the device applied to a rail.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the device.

Figure 6 is an elevational view of an end portion of the device, illustrating the manner in which the outer end of the substantially U-shaped jaw is formed.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated is made from a single bar of suitable metal which is formed to provide a handle I. On one end of the handle I is a substantially U-shaped integral jaw 2 which is adapted to straddle the ball 3 of a rail 4 in the manner shown to advantage in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The outer leg 5 of the substantially U-shaped jaw 2 is folded inwardly and upwardly upon itself in a manner to form a reenforcement as at 6, thus providing a double thickness of material at this point. The manner in which th's 5 is done is shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

Mounted in the handle I, adjacent the jaw 2, is an eye bolt 1. Connected to the eye bolt 'l is one end of a chain 8. rIhe other end of the chain 8 is connected to one side of the body of the car 9 at an intermediate point, as at Ill. Formed longitudinally in the free end portion of the handle I is a slot II for receiving a hook I2 on the car 9 for hanging the device on said car when said device is not in use. This is suggested in broken lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

It is thought that the manner in which the device functions will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. When the mine car 9 is headed down hill, the scotch is placed in o position on the rail 4 beneath` one of the rear wheels I3 of said car. Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, it will be seen that when the ilange I4 of the wheel I3 engages the end portion 5 of the device the substantially U-shaped jaw 2 is caused to twist or cock in a manner to frictionally grip the ball of the rail for preventing sliding thereon. When the mine car 9 is headed uphill, as seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the device is placed in back of one of the front wheels I5 thereof. It will be observed that the chain 8 is of such length as to permit the device to be mounted beneath either the front or rear wheels. When not in use, the device may be conveniently suspended on one side of the car 9 by engaging the hook I 2 in the slot I I of the handle I.

It is believed that the many advantages of a mine car scotch constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

A mine car scotch formed from a single bar of metal of uniform dimensions throughout and including a substantially U-shaped jaw adapted 50 to straddle a rail, said jaw being engageable at one end by the flange of a wheel for twisting thereby for frictionally clamping the sides of the ball of the rail, and a handle projecting from the other end of the jaw, said one end of the jaw 55 being folded inwardly and upwardly upon itself.

CHARLES H. MEAD. 

